Ipanema
by Solo Ensemble
Summary: [Liason COMPLETE]: A onepart piece set in either the twenties or the fifties at a nightclub on the island. Jason has had his eye on the elegant ladycrooner Miss Elizabeth Webber for longer than he can remember, and he finally works up the nerve to make h


**Note: **This takes place in the twenties or fifties or something at the island. And it's weird; I wouldn't blame you if you didn't read it. I don't even know why I posted this.

**Song: **Nothing Like A Dame  
**Artist: **Sammy Davis, Junior

**Ipanema**

The night club was packed and bustling as Sonny Corinthos and Jason Morgan stepped in through the ornate and elaborate threshold, instantly basking in the rich golden lighting. They were immediately flanked by their associates; a tall, energetic Irish man with sharp shoulders and quick feet named Johnny O'Brien, a broad-shouldered and barrel-chested Englishman with silver hair known as Francis Talbot, and a square-jawed and stocky Italian with beady eyes and more freckles than manners, known by all as Max Giambetti.

Sonny and Jason, along with their three friends, ran the largest chain of casinos and night clubs on the island that had rapidly become a hot spot for tourists and natives alike. Each man was impeccably dressed in a formal suit worn with enough chic disregard to make for a sharp but casual look, and they all seized command of the crowded club the minute they stepped into it.

Everyone on the island knew who the team of Morgan and Corinthos were; it was impossible to be ignorant of the two most powerful men on the sun-kissed plot of sandy heaven. Nothing on the island got done without their knowledge and input, and it was foolish to even think to attempt anything to the contrary. And what was more – each man knew it.

"Hot in here," Jason muttered, popping yet another button of the white oxford shirt he wore. He hated dressing up but he knew that whenever he was seen in public, he had to maintain the image he and his partner had worked so hard to cement – from the freshly ironed and starched shirt right down to the polished black shoes.

"Hot everywhere," Sonny murmured in reply, scanning the crowded room for his favorite table. The owner of the establishment – a tall, elegantly dressed man known to all simply as Coleman – knew they were coming and made absolutely sure that everything was in order. That meant that their favorite table had been cleared, their favorite wine – and in Jason's case, beer – had been chilled and brought out, and the finest crystal barware had been displayed. That also meant one more special arrangement solely for Mr. Morgan – a petite singer with a beautiful voice and even more beautiful eyes named Elizabeth Webber.

It was no secret to anyone – except, perhaps, the wide-eyed brunette herself – that Mr. Morgan was quite taken with her. As much as he tried to hide it, as much as everyone in his company ignored it simply to avoid any trouble, the spark and attraction was undeniable. Every single time the Corinthos-Morgan came in to the _Black Pearl_, Coleman made sure his most prized talent was on stage. She played the piano like Mozart and sang like an angel – and Mr. Morgan only had eyes for her.

"Sonny, Jason." Coleman smiled respectfully as he sauntered up to them. He had been on a first-name basis with the two men for a year or two now, and had found them generous and considerate business associates – as long as they weren't crossed. "Always good to see you."

"The place is doing well tonight," Sonny noticed with a smile, his gaze lingering on the elegant and miraculously single Brenda Barrett, the daughter of the island's chief of police. "She's packed."

"We always do well Friday nights," Coleman remarked, his own gaze darting for just a second toward the stage. "It's Elizabeth's night to perform, and she really brings 'em in."

Jason's eyes darkened at the mention of the brunette beauty, and he shifted his weight slightly and pretended to be interested elsewhere as his three friends smirked behind him.

"Would you like to sit down?" he asked, motioning with his hand toward their reserved table by the verandah. "I'll have your drinks served momentarily."

"That'll be wonderful," Sonny allowed, already moving past him and into the crowd that was on the dance floor. The patrons parted like the Red sea as the five men strode through, glancing at no one and moving with singular purpose toward the secluded nook they always occupied. Jason watched Sonny's gaze dart toward Brenda and hold as the brunette looked up. The corner of her mouth hooked up and Sonny boldly tossed her a wink, making the young woman blush a pretty shade of red that almost matched her dress.

It didn't take long for them to situate themselves at the table, and then the drinks arrived: wine for Sonny and Max, scotch for Francis, whiskey for Johnny, and cold beer for Jason. They always ordered the same drinks and the staff knew exactly how each man liked his prepared and happily complied. For on the small island, anything Sonny and Jason wanted, Sonny and Jason got.

The crowd tittered and applauded as Elizabeth Webber, dressed in a sleek midnight blue dress, walked modestly onto the stage and took her seat atop the piano.

Well, Sonny and Jason got what they wanted with maybe one notable exception.

_**We got sunlight on the sand  
We got moonlight on the sea**_

Jason's eyes lingered hungrily on the curvaceous brunette beauty as she delicately arranged the skirt of her long dress around her shapely legs. The golden lighting made her alabaster skin glow, and those dark, beautiful eyes of hers appeared to swallow up half her face. Her hair was worn curly tonight, just the way he liked it, and she had piled it atop her head in an elegant twist with loose tendrils lapping at her swan-like neck. The skirt of her deep blue dress fell at her ankles, the almost scandalous slit in the side revealing her beautifully sculpted calves, and Jason felt as if his partly-unbuttoned shirt was choking him.

She was followed onto the stage by a young man whom Jason recognized as Juan Santiago. He was a barkeeper at the Black Pearl and was one of the few men who could play the piano as well as piano. So this was what they often did – she sat atop the piano looking absolutely delicious as she took solitary command of the large room, and he slinked up after her and hunkered down on the bench, knowing full well that no matter what he did, all eyes were on Elizabeth.

Jason's grip on his cold bottle of beer tightened the instant Elizabeth reached for her microphone and began playing with it as Juan composed himself, trailing her index finger over the head over and over again in a circular motion. Johnny had nudged his friends and now all three men were grinning discreetly at Jason, thoroughly enjoying both the show onstage and the show at their very own table. This was what they lived for – watching Jason Morgan squirm, and all at the hands of an oblivious, bright-eyed little woman that had no idea what she did to him.

_**We got mangoes and bananas  
**__**You can pick right off the tree**_

Coleman had the lights dimmed and Juan began playing softly, his long fingers caressing the ivory keys rather than pushing them, and Elizabeth soon joined him. Jason leaned back in his seat as her throaty, enchanting voice floated lazily around the swanky night club, wrapping warmly around him in a lover's caress. She had a gorgeous voice and she knew how to use it, that was for sure. And when she would lift her hand, the lovely, delicate fingers poised just so, or press her hand lightly to her diaphragm, or tilt her head just so, Jason was a goner.

Sonny was watching Elizabeth with a half-smile on his face, and every so often his gaze would dart over to his best friend. He didn't know how long Jason had been dancing around the starry-eyed little vixen that had captured his heart, and he knew better than to bring it up around his friend. Jason often got edgy and defensive when Elizabeth's name was so much as mentioned, and he really didn't need another brawl at his hands. He'd never forget the time that Johnny had made a comment in passing about Elizabeth's legs and received a black eye and split lip for his trouble. No, as far as Jason and his little Lady Ella were concerned, it was best to leave things as they were and hope that the brute would stop being so stubborn eventually. Anything else was just inviting a punch to the gut.

_**We got volley-ball and ping-pong**_  
_**And a lot of dandy games**_

She had turned her head to the side slightly and was singing out to the crowd with a remarkably sultry look in her eyes that Jason only dreamed about, and the young man passed a hand over his mouth, rubbing his jaw, as he watched her. She was a mystery to him, a conundrum that he wanted to solve more than anything; innocent as a schoolgirl with her wide eyes and sweet voice, and yet there was unmistakable seductive intent in the way she walked, the way she laughed. Hell, the woman turned him on just by breathing.

He had lost track of how long he had been coming to the _Black Pearl_ with the sole intent of watching her, studying her, taking something of her back with him in his mind. A certain song, a joke she told, the sound of her lilting laughter, anything. She was unapproachable, he felt – an enchanted fairy that would disappear into thin air if he got too close. And so he was content to just sit and watch her, worship her, from a distance.

Or at least he told himself he was.

**_But what ain't we got?_**  
_**We ain't got dames!**_

She was almost done with the song; he could tell by the way Juan's playing was slower and how the young man was looking up at her now, and the way her voice was fuller, slower, her hands poised now, and unless he was imagining it, how her eyes were even more sultry and dark now.

God, he loved the way she sang.

For a man that found absolutely no use in art and had no appreciation for music, he could listen to her day after day for the rest of time without once tiring of it. She threw her whole body into the performance; her long, slender fingers punctuated the words, her voice caressed the words of love, tasting them as if they were fine pastries, and her delicate body trembled from the pure emotion of it all. She made love to his ears with each song, each performance, and he never wanted the sweet torture to end.

_**We get packages from home  
We get movies, we get shows**_

The last verses were fast approaching, and Elizabeth saw fit to torture him even more. Slowly bringing those lovely legs up to rest on the edge of the polished black piano, she shifted her microphone to the other hand and leaned one palm against the shiny surface. The slit fell open now, revealing those achingly perfect smooth porcelain calves to his hungry eyes, and Jason had to stifle a low groan when she stretched sideways like a cat atop the piano, her face closer to Juan's now as she smiled and crooned to the audience.

This was the part he loved and hated. He loved seeing her arch her nimble form atop the glistening piano, loved seeing her pour every ounce of her femininity into the last lingering notes of the song, loved seeing her eyes darken and sizzle as she came slowly down from the high her performance had instilled in her. But he hated the way the crowd reacted to this part – particularly the younger men in the crowd. They'd sit together in tight clusters around little tables with their cheap liquor and overly-greased hair, behaving like animals in heat in the presence of this magical young woman. They weren't even fit to be in the same room with a girl like her as far as Jason was concerned.

_**We get speeches from our skipper  
**__**And advice from Tokyo Rose**_

The number finished and the crowd applauded happily for the talented lady crooner and her accompanying pianist, and Jason watched with a frown as she straightened that glorious body of hers and fixed the skirt of her dress to a more modest look.

Johnny was about to make some snide remark to Jason but he caught Sonny's gaze and instantly snapped his mouth shut. His boss' warning glare told him instantly not to mess with Jason at the moment or he'd have another broken bone to show for it. There was a time for everything, and this wasn't the right time to tease Jason about the object of his affection.

No sooner had Johnny relaxed back in his seat and looked to the stage once more where the brunette was preparing for her next number than a tiny brunette suddenly popped into view. Sonny, who had been leaning back on his chair, abruptly fell forward and smacked his elbow on the table.

"Hello, Mr. Morgan, Mr. Corinthos!"

Francis groaned at the artificially deep and sultry voice of one Samantha McCall, one of Coleman's waitresses. The woman made a damn nuisance of herself almost every single time they came to the _Black Pearl_, and was always throwing herself at Jason and Sonny as evidenced particularly by the way she was dressed. Her tops were always too tight around her large breasts and her dresses were always scandalously short or too revealing. Her hair, longer than Elizabeth's and darker, was always thrown about her shoulders in a deliberately mussed and provocative style and her lips were always painted garishly with thick red lipstick. There was nothing subtle or classy about her entire appearance and on top of all that, she was reputed to be quite a loose woman.

And yet she never stopped pitching herself at the two successful young gentlemen.

Johnny noticed Miss Barrett watching the scene before her unfold with a twinkle in her eye, and he knew Sonny Corinthos' character was being put to the test. Brenda was visibly amused, and he knew that if she witnessed Sonny turn the loose waitress away, it could only work in his friend's favor.

"Can I get you anything, sir?" she asked eagerly, jutting her chest out a little further than normal as she looked from Jason to Sonny and back again.

Jason's lips curved downward and he looked away with a nugatory grunt, amusing Max.

"We're fine," Sonny informed her curtly, bringing his glass to his lips.

"Are you certain?" she asked persistently, moving closer to his side. "Because I'd be _happy_ to get you anything you need."

Jason rolled his eyes at the blatant innuendo in her voice, finding his eyes arrested by Elizabeth's slight and breathtakingly elegant form. The woman before him would do well to take a lesson or two from the gracious and lovely brunette on the stage. She was the picture of poise, the picture of perfection…and he was damn sick of just watching her from the sidelines.

"We're fine," Sonny repeated blandly. "And if we need something, we'll be sure to let _Coleman _know."

The music began playing, a faster beat this time, and Elizabeth turned her sparkling eyes to the floor once more with a delightful little smile curving her lips. She spotted Samantha standing between Jason and Sonny, her breasts practically brushing against both men, and the light in her eyes dimmed a little as she glanced quickly away.

Jason blinked, certain he had imagined that, but judging by Johnny's chuckling, he hadn't. When Elizabeth looked up from Juan, her eyes were wider and a little distant, her smile now slightly forced.

It made Jason's heart positively soar.

She had noticed him. He wasn't just a man in the shadows to her – she had seen him with the insipid, promiscuous woman pressed to his side and she didn't like it. She had _noticed_.

_**We get letters doused with perfume  
**__**We get dizzy from the smell**_

Samantha mistook the twinkle in his eye as a sign that he was enjoying her presence and immediately turned to him again. She was just about to speak when Jason's suddenly icy blue eyes found her dark brown ones.

"You're blocking my view. Please leave."

He didn't need to issue any other commands because the young waitress immediately scuttled away atop her ridiculously high shoes as his four companions laughed under their breaths. Sonny happened to look up in Brenda's direction and noticed the tall brunette beauty smirking as well.

His shoes creaked as he slid out of his chair before Elizabeth began her number, self-consciously smoothing his suit jacket. "Excuse me," was all he said to his friends as he strolled smoothly across the floor to where Brenda sat alone at her table. Jason watched him go to her with a pang of jealousy over the fact that his best friend could so easily claim what he wanted.

One of these days, he would just have to do the same. It was either that or remain miserable, watching her from afar like some sort of stalker.

_**What don't we get?  
**__**You know darn well!**_

Elizabeth's next number was a fast and lively one, and Jason loved watching her snap her dainty fingers in time with the music. It was amazing how she could transition so easily from a sultry piano-top crooner to an energetic, light-hearted singer.

He had often wondered how good a dancer she was. She certainly was the picture of grace, and he assumed that she could hold her own on the dance floor. And what he wouldn't give for the chance to find out!

Sonny had told him once to cease being so stubborn and simply ask the young woman out. To take her by the hand and lead her into a nightclub, to share drinks with her and a dance or two, and perhaps if he was lucky a goodnight kiss on the steps of her father's home. And as Jason watched the youngsters in their cheap shrunken suits gawk at her, he realized that he would have to do just that if he didn't want someone else to snatch her up first.

Because that was the truth – he wanted her as his own. Even though he denied it in front of his friends, he was sick and tired of sitting around in a dark, secluded corner watching her from afar. The yearning for her was making him sick and he didn't know how much longer he'd be able to take it – especially when Sonny was currently sitting in Miss Barrett's hand, kissing the back of her hand and making her laugh. Everyone else seemed to have someone, and Jason wanted his own someone – namely, Elizabeth.

_**We got nothing to put on a clean, white suit for  
**__**We got nothing to look masculine and cute for**_

He had covetously watched her for weeks, months, and had never been able to make a move on her. He had worked stealthily behind the scenes, much to his friends' amusement, he was sure – sending her bottles of the finest wine, the most lovely and fragrant flowers, her favorite sweets and pastries. She had always thanked him kindly and politely as he left with Sonny and his friends – never alone. No, they had never been alone together. It was as if she could sense the animalistic tension between them and so made sure to keep to a public locale at all times. Not that he blamed her – he didn't believe that he could be trusted if he got her someplace far removed from prying eyes and amused friends.

But it was time to move beyond that.

_**There is nothin' like a dame,  
**__**Nothing in the world**_

The song was ending and he watched her finish it out with a dainty snap of her fingers and a sweet girlish smile on her lips. Juan pounded out the last notes with a flourish and it was over. The crowd applauded and Elizabeth smiled graciously before floating off the stage to join her employer at the bar. Jason watched longingly as Coleman poured her the glass of ice water she requested, and he swallowed roughly when he noticed her take a long sip, then wet her finger and rub it around the rim of the glass.

That woman was going to be the death of him.

_**There is nothing you can name  
**__**That is anything like a dame**_

She had only to bat her lashes and all coherent thought flew from his head. With one simple look from those sweet but seductive midnight blue eyes, he'd melt completely. And he was almost ashamed to admit that the sound of her laughter alone made his pants feel two sizes too small.

At first, he had tried to convince himself that he was simply lonely and looking to find some companion to satisfy certain physical urges. But that wasn't the truth and he knew it. There was something about Elizabeth that excited him, that impassioned him, that made him dream. She was unlike any other woman on the island, of this he was certain.

He had learned as much as he could about her from various employees of his that happened to be familiar with her. He gleaned any information they had on her and feasted on it hungrily, anxious in his quest to know all about the mysterious woman that had laid claim to his heart so long ago.

_**We feel lonely and we long for,  
**__**For the fair and gentle sex**_

He knew that her favorite color was blue but that she also liked black. She absolutely adored chocolate in any form and felt than any food could be made better with whipped cream, a little quirk that he found absolutely charming. She wasn't much of a drinker but when she did occasionally indulge herself, it was with champagne or sweet wine. She had been bred and raised on music, as she liked to joke, and had been playing the piano since she was a small child. In her spare time she enjoyed practicing her music or sketching, another hobby of hers.

She had come to work at the _Black Pearl_ because of one of her friends who had become a barkeeper, and had found Coleman to be caring and considerate, a true gentleman, and she had stayed. She performed every Friday night and was a regular fixture at the club even though she rarely danced with anyone and only drank occasionally.

Jason eyed her thoughtfully as she played with her water, engaging Coleman in conversation. He could make out something on her wrist – dark in color – and it appeared to be the-

"Jason, I'm tired of keeping my mouth shut." Johnny's irritate voice broke through his concentration. "You can beat me up if it makes you feel better, but I've gotta say it – go over there and talk to her. Dance with her. Hell, take her home with you."

_**We would like to feel the feeling  
**__**Of some arms around our necks**_

Jason's lethal glare could have stopped Death in its tracks. "Johnny, I'm not going to tell you again – watch your mouth."

The Irishman frowned and sat back in his seat, completely frustrated with his stubborn friend. "I don't see what the big deal is," he groused, reaching for his glass of whiskey. "You know you want to."

_**We feel hungry as the Wolf felt  
**__**When he met Red Riding Hood**_

Juan had appeared at Elizabeth's side and stealthily slipped his arm around her waist as she talked to Coleman. The brunette looked up in surprise and then smiled at her pianist and friend. Jason's mouth turned sour the instant Juan leaned lower and placed a kiss on Elizabeth's cheek before squeezing her hand and departing, an expression not missed by Johnny.

"Do something," he muttered under his breath. "Or just sit there like a lame oaf; your choice."

"Not another word, John."

_**What don't we feel?  
**__**We don't feel good!**_

Sonny and Brenda appeared in view then, and Jason watched his best friend lead his young companion to the dance floor. Her long hair swirled around her shoulders as Sonny gracefully twirled her once before pulling her into his arms as the number began, and Brenda was laughing softly into his shoulder.

"See?" Johnny pestered him, pointing at the Cuban. "Sonny's got it right – why can't you take a clue from him?"

"Leave him alone, John," Francis directed, finishing off his scotch and motioning for another one. "If he wants to wait and let her go off with that Santiago kid, that's his business."

Jason glanced up sharply. "What do you mean by that?"

His friend shrugged, feigning disinterest. "Haven't you noticed the way that boy follows her around, like a little puppy-dog, even? He adores her, and it's only a matter of time before she-"

"Before she _what_, Francis?" the tall blonde growled. "Choose your words carefully."

Again, the bodyguard shrugged indifferently. "It's not good getting mad at me, Jason. I'm not the one courting her – that's the barkeep kid."

Jason scowled and glanced again at where Elizabeth sat talking to Coleman. Juan had already left, but he couldn't help remember the way he had kissed the young woman on her cheek, and the way Elizabeth had smiled back. If Francis was right…

He was so lost in his dark thoughts that Jason barely noticed the exact moment that Elizabeth shifted on her stool and those dark sapphire orbs met his intense cerulean ones directly. He stared back at her, not moving, and to her credit the young woman didn't flinch. Instead, she just looked back at him curiously and then finally tore her gaze away when Coleman asked her a question.

_**Lots and lots of things in life are beautiful,  
**__**But, brother, there is one particular thing  
**__**That's got nothing whatsoever  
**__**In any way, shape, fashion or form  
**__**To do with any other**_

Jason could only watch her, her hair fluttering in the light, damp breeze that occasionally rustled through the warm room, her arms bare and her shapely legs peeking out from under that wonderful slit, her cheeks flushed and her eyes as starry as always, and wonder if there was any truth to what Francis had said.

Surely a woman like Elizabeth, a woman as beautiful and talented as Miss Webber, would realize she was far above some squirrelly, curly-haired child that could keep a decent tune on the piano. Oh, no, a woman like her was far out of that little boy's league. A woman like her needed a man, a strong, hard man, to watch over her, to tell her and _show_ her how beautiful and incredible she truly was. A woman like Elizabeth needed a good, strong man that could handle her spitfire nature and keep her on her toes.

A woman like her needed a man like him.

And a man like him needed a woman like her.

_**There is nothin' like a dame  
**__**Nothing in the world  
**__**There is nothing you can name  
**__**That is anything like a dame**_

She was exquisite, she was heart-stoppingly beautiful, she was a firecracker, she was…moving. Jason blinked as the brunette beauty stood up from her seat, that gorgeous dress lapping around her nymph-like body, and pushed her glass away. Exchanging a smile and a joke with Coleman, she slowly turned on her heel and delicately picked up the hem of her dress so as not to trip on it and began making her way through the sea of people. Several of them stopped her and Jason watched her cheeks tinge with color as they complimented her performance and thanked her for a lovely show as usual. She passed by Sonny and Brenda, and his best friend turned to him with a suggestive glimmer in his eyes. Jason gulped as she ascended the steps to where his table was, her dress falling and swishing just so around those smooth, creamy legs. Her head was down as she stepped up the stairs and as she got to the top, she slowly lifted her gaze and met his dead-on.

Jason's heart caught in his throat as she floated closer, her hips swaying in an easy, seductive rhythm, perfectly in sync with the internal rhythm that every woman seemed to possess. Her eyes sparkled and her skin was flushed and slightly dewy from the warmth that had fallen on the night club like a blanket and suddenly his cold beer had never looked so good.

She kept walking, passing by his table, her eyes glued to his even as she made her way to the verandah and the summer night that waited for her outside the bright room. The look in those sparkling sapphire orbs was unmistakable – _Follow me_, she seemed to say.

_**There are no books like a dame  
**__**And nothing looks like a dame  
**__**There are no drinks like a dame  
**__**And nothing thinks like a dame  
**__**And nothing acts like a dame  
**__**Or attracts like a dame**_

He was barely aware of his strong legs pushing him up from his seat, barely aware of the way Johnny laughed behind his back. He seemed to float after her onto the verandah, not paying attention to anyone or anything in his way.

She was standing with her back toward him, her head thrown back and her eyes closed as she let the cool night breeze wrap around her and kiss her flushed and warm skin. Her perfume wafted over to him – the light but sensual fragrance of jasmine – and Jason stuffed his hands in the pockets of his black trousers as he slowly made his way up behind her.

She heard him coming and turned as he approached, resting both of her palms flat against the edge of the balcony. "Jason," she greeted him in a low voice, the corner of her mouth hooking up.

The greeting surprised him – he was never _Jason_ to her. Just _Mr. Morgan_, uttered in a painfully formal and respectful way as she thanked him for his kindness. But tonight he was _Jason_ – and he liked it.

"Elizabeth," he replied in a matching tone, his eyes twinkling under the stars as he edged closer. She didn't back away or show any signs of distress, which was encouraging. "You were lovely tonight."

She blushed and Jason hastily amended his statement. "I meant your performance – your performance was lovely tonight."

The brunette nodded, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I haven't seen you in several days, Jason. I'm always so used to having you – in the crowd, I mean."

He dipped his head once. "I've been busier than usual. But I did miss my visits the _Black Pearl_."

She smiled softly and tilted her head just so. "I actually meant to ask you something tonight."

His eyebrows rose slightly. "You can ask me anything, Elizabeth."

She brought her wrist up daintily, her lips curving into a soft smile, and Jason's eyes fell on the bracelet she wore. "Would you happen to know anything about this?"

He eyed the black pearls, his own eyes twinkling. "Perhaps. It depends, though, on who wants to know."

She brought her hand down to rest on the ledge once more, clearly amused. "Very funny, Jason. I'll ask you again – do you happen to know anything about this bracelet?"

The corner of his mouth hooked upward in that boyish smile that always sent shivers racing down her spine. "I thought you might like it."

She looked away, blushing slightly, and was about to reply when he interrupted her.

"You _do_ like it, don't you? If you don't, I can exchange-"

"I love it, Jason," Elizabeth replied before she could stop herself. "I just- I'm curious as to why you would…get it for me."

He shrugged his strong shoulders and looked to the side, offering her a glimpse of his profile in the moonlight. "I saw it, I thought you might like it, and I sent it over to you." He saw the question in her eyes, the disbelief. "It's not complicated, Elizabeth – I'm a very simple man."

She graced him with that slow Mona Lisa smile he had fallen in love with so long ago. "You're a simple man, Jason, yes – but in a very complicated way."

The teasing glimmer in her eyes had him grinning, and Jason boldly claimed a step in her direction. "What do you mean by that?"

Elizabeth was smiling openly back at him, enjoying the little game. "I mean that I can never quite figure you out."

He eased closer, slowly eliminating the space between them. When he spoke, his voice was low and as rough as sandpaper. "What would you like to know?"

She blushed just then and tilted her head to the side, her smooth cheek just inches from his face. Jason watched those curly raven lashes flutter as she tried to form her next question. "I'd like to know why you're always so…generous when it comes to me."

Jason shrugged his shoulders again. "I already explained, Elizabeth, I-"

"The lilies," she interrupted with a whisper, those wide sapphire eyes pulling him even closer to her under the cover of the balmy night. "How did you know they were my favorite?"

"A lucky guess," he answered back, "that a friend of yours corroborated. I assumed that a woman like you would be drawn to lilies."

"There are several _kinds_ of lilies," she pointed out. "And what do you mean, _a woman like me_?"

"White, Calla, Lily of the Valley," Jason ticked off, ignoring her second question for the time being. "Yes, I'm aware there are several kinds. The first means beauty, the second purity and the third…" His thumb skimmed her cheek lightly, stopping at her chin, and Elizabeth let her eyes flutter closed for a moment. "Sweetness."

Her eyes were still closed. "What do you mean, _a woman like me_?"

"A woman with elegant tastes and elegant manners," he answered with a whisper, "deserves nothing short of the best."

Those thick lashes fluttered and she was gazing up at him once more. "The Belgian chocolates."

He flashed her that crooked grin that made her heart thunder. "I was under the impression that every woman enjoyed fine chocolates."

Elizabeth tried to suppress her grin. "The jeweled combs."

"Sapphire," he corrected. "They match your eyes."

She was blushing visibly now as she ran a trembling hand through her hair out of habit. He was so close, so wonderfully close, and she could feel his body heat radiate off of him. Elizabeth couldn't figure out for the life of her why a man like Jason Morgan – strong, wealthy, successful, the epitome of masculinity – would be interested in her, but she sure was going to do her best to find out.

Jason blinked when she raised her slender wrist, exhibiting the extraordinary gift he'd most recently given her. "The bracelet."

He took her hand in his, surprising her, and let his fingers linger on the soft, warm skin as he pretended to eye the black pearls. "It reminded me of you."

"Why?"

She was stubborn and he liked that. "Because you're the only reason I come to the _Black Pearl_."

His answer took her aback; she certainly had_ not _been expecting that. "I-I am?"

The corner of Jason's mouth hooked up at the uncertainty in her voice as he pressed closer. Her body shivered slightly as he prowled forward, but Elizabeth didn't back away. "You're the only reason I get out of the penthouse, put on this goddamn tux and these god-awful shoes-" His language made the tips of her ears turn an endearing shade of pink, "-and come to a brightly lit club where I don't know anyone and frankly, don't care to. You're the only reason I come."

Certain at this point that he was just teasing, Elizabeth tilted her head and smirked up at him. "And what makes me so special, Jason?"

He closed the distance between them and brought one hand to rest tentatively at the small of her back. He half-expected her to pull back and slap him for being so forward with her, but she didn't. Instead, she just peered up at him curiously, a little skeptical of that sultry glimmer in his intense eyes.

His nose bumped against hers innocently as Jason leaned down, breathing in her gentle scent of jasmine. Elizabeth tilted her head back, eyeing him carefully, and a soft smile passed over his lips as he leaned down and brushed them against hers.

"Everything," he finally answered into her mouth, giving in to that rush of emotions and the undeniable urge to kiss her.

It was as if all of his senses exploded the minute he experienced Elizabeth. She was warm and soft underneath him, her lips gently pressing against his, and she tasted of sweet wine. Carefully, tenderly, Jason cupped the back of her head, letting his fingers get tangled in those luxurious chocolate curls, and leaned her back a bit more so that he'd have a better angle.

She responded beautifully for him, opening up like a flower kissed by the first rays of a patient sun. Jason could scarcely believe it when her slender arms wrapped around his neck, molding her close to his hard, strong frame. He barely knew how he got from watching her sing atop a piano to kissing her breathless on the verandah, but he couldn't care less. She was every bit as perfect as he had imagined and now that he had gotten his first taste, he knew he couldn't let her go.

_**There ain't a thing that's wrong with any man here  
**__**That can't be cured by putting him near  
**__**A girly, womanly, female, feminine dame!**_

When they broke apart, the young woman in his arms was deliciously flushed and wonderfully flustered. Jason watched with rapt fascination as she struggled to calm her breathing, running trembling fingertips over her swollen lips. Her eyes widened when she caught him staring, and Elizabeth swallowed roughly before tentatively reaching up for him again. Her lips brushed against his sweetly, invitingly, and Jason growled as he flattened his palms against her back.

"I love the bracelet," she whispered against his lips. "And for the record, you're the only reason I enjoy singing on stage."

_**There is nothing like a dame.**_

**The End.**


End file.
